Greece back to Turkey (Tilos to Rhodes Town to Lindos to Olu Deniz to Fethiye and back to Marmaris)

Gaviota
Wed 7 Jul 2010 17:46
36:51.069N 28:16.116E
Tuesday, 6th July 2010
This is a rather belated diary of the last few weeks! Apologies!
Left Tilos with a lovely breeze and sailed towards the island of Rhodes then the wind died so altered direction back to the island of Symi but wind picked up again, perfect direction so a good reach to Rhodes Town (36:26.912N 28:13.611E) where after a failed attempt to get into Mandraki harbour we ended up anchoring outside, unfortunately very close to the ferry and cruise ship route into the outer harbour!  After 4 nights of being thrown about every time a high speed ferry whizzed past and having sampled the night life of Music Street with the other 12 year olds who seemed to live there and decided the wonderful historic walled city would be far more authentic without the dozens of stalls selling crap, we headed to Lindos spending a night in a quiet bay en route. 
We arrived in Lindos (36:45.805N 27:43.549E) Monday afternoon and anchored in the lovely enclosed bay.  Spent a week in Lindos catching up with old friends (Lisa's) and going to the RhodesRock10 festival.  Thursday night was the pre-gig party with the main gigs Saturday and Sunday night then Monday the Floyd tribute band Think Floyd did the final gig in the amphitheatre beneath the stunning Acropolis of Lindos a wonderful end to a week of partying, great music and very late nights!  Temperatures soared to 38 degrees with a record 32 degrees at 2.00 am!
Left Lindos 7.00 am Tuesday morning nursing hangovers and did a fast sail back over to Turkey (as Lisa's son Peter was there with his girlfriend for the last few days of their holiday)  Sailed on a broad reach as the wind picked up put in two reefs with the ever-building seas and boat speed over 8 knots.  Decided seas to rough to attempt anchoring in Olu Deniz so stopped at bay before where we anchored and rocked around in the heavy swell all night. Left in morning after hot village bread was delivered via George and Sonia's speedboat (had forgotten how enterprising and hard working the Turkish people are!)  Anchored in the very deep bay outisde the famous lagoon and having dropped 500 foot of anchor chain and rope found we were the only ordinary yacht to be there so were surrounded by local gulets.  Spent the next few nights rocking around as the seas got bigger and bigger and after a rather spectacular Hawaii 50 type of landing on the beach where we surfed in on the dinghy and Syd did a rather spectacular somersault as the dinghy overturned under a large breaking wave decided that the only way to dinghy in was to row through the lagoon and exit at Sugar Beach. 
Spent a few really nice days with  Peter and Lauren then when they left on Saturday we quickly upped anchor and motored round (no wind!) to the lovely sheltered bay at Fethiye (36:37.604N 29:06.002E) where we spent the next few days stocking up with supplies and managed a day out on the bikes which involved climbing the longest steepest hill in the heat of the midday sun and over to the deserted ghost town of Kalakoy, an eerie memory of when the Greeks settled there, from there we cycled up to Hissaronu and hired horses and Syd experienced his first gallop after a lot of kicking! and proved himself to be a natural.  As we needed water we spent the last night on the Sunsail pontoon which was connected to a lovely Hotel called Yacht Classic where we used the excellent facilities including the swimming pool and had a superb meal at the lovely restaurant beside the water.
Left Fethiye Friday afternoon and sailed across to the 12 islands, started with a beat then the wind picked up and we whizzed across close hauled at 7 knots, Lisa helmed and managed to follow the wind shifts!!  Spent the night at Wall Bay in the company of some mega Super Yachts and left early Saturday morning accompanied by 2 dolphins who played under the bow of the boat.  No wind so had to motor half way to Marmaris then the wind picked up and we had a tack into Marmaris bay with a 25 knot wind. 
Marmaris revisited a completely different place in Summer and scarily labelled 'Marmaris the city that never sleeps!!' Its so bloody noisy that nobody can sleep!  Now sail repairs, boat jobs to be done and more solar panels on order so probably here at least until the weekend.